


Refuge in the Spring (Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader)

by cherryglazerr



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Mess, M/M, Reader is there for him, rated for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25921273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryglazerr/pseuds/cherryglazerr
Summary: College is exhausting. Kuroo is burning out. You help him through it.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader
Kudos: 147





	Refuge in the Spring (Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader)

Kuroo was having an off day. **  
**

He rests his head against the back of the armchair, forcing the air to move within his lungs - _in_ \- before letting it escape in a heavy exhale - _out_. He allows his eyes to fall open - only to wince and regret it immediately. The harsh, white glare of the overhead tubelight glowers down him, sending another sharp throb through his right temple. 

Or, better put, an off week. 

Nope. Closing his eyes isn’t helping either. Now, he’s flashing through a flurry, a dizzying fever dream of intrusive mental images - of blaring computer screens, of the incessant ringing of his phone alarm, of papers, papers, papers.

Fuck, it was practically an off _month_. 

His mind is a tundra, caught in the midst of a raging blizzard. Swirling frosty tendrils circle around him in a chokehold, trapping him in place, forcing him to relive the painful memories of the gone day. 

He’s flooded with recollections of the icy, harsh reprimands of an uncaring professor, of his own cold, unforgiving disappointment at the sight of the glaring red comment marring his term paper.

‘ _Not up to the mark._ ’ The words are practically sneered at him. 

And it’s agonizing, it’s biting, it’s _painful_ , because he’s supposed to _love_ school. Kuroo sought after knowledge like a hedonist; his mind was always racing, yearning to learn more, more, _more_. He found his safe space in the library - with his face buried in a textbook, sitting amidst the calm quietude and the comforting scent of worn paper. 

He _loved_ school. He had always been _good_ at school. But even Kuroo Tetsurou was not immune to the crushing weight of assignment, after assignment, after presentation, after exam - with no room to breathe. And now, his days had dissolved into a seemingly endless bout of dreary grey. 

Kuroo grits his teeth in frustration, gathers his face in his hands before groaning into them. His fingers press hard circles into his temples, hoping, praying that it would be enough to soothe the storm. But it’s not, it’s _not_ , it’s _fucking_ _not_ -

“Tetsu?”

He jolts up in his seat in surprise, hands falling away so he can look up. It’s you. You’re standing in front of him, a steaming mug in your hands. 

Kuroo vaguely registers that the glaring white is gone, now replaced by a golden glow that’s much, much more forgiving on his tired eyes. You must have turned the lamp on after coming in. He hadn’t even noticed your presence before you called his name. How long had you been standing there?

(Long enough to see him _cracking_ at the surface; _breaking down_ ; _disintegrating_?)

“I-I got you some tea,” you raise the mug slightly, “It has, um, ginger and honey. Thought it’d help you, uh…”

Your voice trails off as you move closer to him, gingerly setting the mug down on the table in front of him. Then, you inch back - closer than where you had been standing before, but still worlds away from him. 

Kuroo leans forward, arm reaching with the intent of picking up the mug, when he notices. The sight of your trembling hands, just barely falling into his peripheral vision. One hand is on top of the other, nails digging crescent moons into the back of your palm. The other is caught in the bottom of your shirt, fingers twisting in the fabric at the hem, raveling and unraveling. 

His frown only grows when his eyes travel up your form. You’ve got your head tilted to the side, gaze cast into the corner. Away from him. Your bottom lip is pulled between your teeth, wobbling slightly. You were nervous. 

“Hey.”

“S-Sorry.” You’re still looking away. Your voice is shaky, uncertain as you force out your next words, “I’ll jus- you probably want some space, so I’ll just leave and-”

“Hey.” It comes out slightly louder this time, but no less gentle. 

Your head whips forward, finally facing him. With eyes the size of saucers, you wait nervously, allowing him to continue.

“You don’t have to leave the room. I don’t mind having you here,” Kuroo assures, before quietly adding, “I’d prefer it, actually.”

“But, I- I just,” you tread cautiously and hesitantly as you explain, “I don’t want to _annoy_ you or… or say the wrong thing.” 

“ _You_ -” Kuroo starts before sighing. “You don’t need to worry so much. Really. I don’t want you to feel like you need to walk on eggshells around me. Not even when I’m stressed, or mad, or whatever.”

Glancing up at you, he adds, brows raised in question, “Just… _never_ around me. Okay?” Kuroo watches you, waiting patiently for some form of affirmation. He only relaxes back in place when you nod slowly. 

“Is it... okay if I touch you?” 

“Go ahead.”

Kuroo reaches for the mug again, picking it up this time before raising it to his lips. He quirks a brow when you move to the spot behind him. He had expected a hug, maybe even a quiet kiss. 

(Both of which, he would’ve welcomed.)

Instead, he feels your hands hover over his shoulders. A second passes. Then, they settle down, gripping the broad thick of it, before you squeeze. It’s- it’s nice. Hearing no complaint from him, you repeat it, this time, adding more pressure.

That elicits a groan, and an eager roll of his shoulders as he settles back further into the armchair, and higher into your hold. He sighs when your hands nudge past the open neck of his shirt, pressing along the naked skin of his shoulders, his back, the nape of his neck. 

Kuroo places the mug back on the table, closing his eyes and settling back into the comfort of your hold. He finds himself able to relax - to allow himself to succumb to the press of the pads of your fingers as they draw hard circles into the tensed sinew. Your touch works like a salve, soothing out the knots and kinks embedded beneath the layer of muscle. 

He barely even realizes when you stop, practically rendered putty in your hold. But then, you’re gently coaxing his head with your hands, tilting it slightly to the sight. Kuroo is made vaguely aware of the tips of your hair lightly tickling his skin, and then he can feel your breath, and now- now your _lips_ are brushing against his nape-

_**one** _

he can feel the warmth bloom from where your soft lips connect with his freezing skin-

_**two** _

it’s spreading, moving slow and languid as it courses through every vessel, every vein-

_**three** _

“ _fuck_ , c-come here, _please_ ,” he coaxes you forward, frantically pulling you into his lap and cradling your face before bringing it to his because he needs more, _he needs more_ -

_**four**_

now you’re _kissing_ _him_ , wrapping your arms around his shoulders to pull him into you, and- and suddenly, there is no tundra, there is no blizzard, because you are _spring_ , and you’re melting away the frost, you’re bathing him in the sun, enveloping him in the warmth. 

_In your warmth._

Kuroo doesn’t even notice the stray tear running down his cheek until he feels the gentle touch of your finger swiping it away. Your skin is glowing golden as you smile at him, your hand remaining in place, fingers lightly stroking his jaw. The other arm remains secure around his shoulders, keeping him tight against your form. 

He exhales shakily, eyes locked on your radiance. “ _Fuck_ , where would I be without you?”

“Probably in someone else’s arms.”

Kuroo clicks his tongue at your light tease, playfully smacking your thigh, a laugh bubbling past his lips at your surprised squeak. He shakes his head, his chuckles slowly dying down. Carding his fingers through your hair, he looks at you, eyes serious again. 

“No, this… this is only with _you_. Never anyone else but you.” 

And when you tilt his head up, coaxing him forward for another kiss, Kuroo thinks. Maybe, he wouldn’t mind having to deal with another sleepless night, another presentation, another paper. 

Maybe, it would be okay. Maybe, _he_ would be okay. 

As long as he had his spring.


End file.
